The Last Magic Knight
by Oniko
Summary: Hikaru assumes the responsabilities of the Pillar, but will she be able to keep history from repeating itself. Mangaverse.
1. Prelude: Shadows

Chains of Destiny

Prelude: Shadows

By Oniko

AN: created and owned by Clamp. As always please tell me what you think I love reviews, even flames.

Hikaru prayed. She knelt on silk cushions in an elegantly beautiful stone pavilion open to the eternally spring air, and she prayed. She prayed for peace, for beautiful weather and healthy, happy people. She prayed for Cephiro.

When, exactly, did she take on the duties of the Pillar? She was never really sure. At first, she was determined for the people's hearts to determine the course of their lives, like on Earth. But something went wrong, the people weren't strong enough to sustain Cephiro. They didn't want to be strong enough to sustain their world and the burden fell to Hikaru.

It was hard, to root out the darkness in her heart that was the reflection of Cephiro's pain. To pray and to love until the darkness faded away and all was light. It was a task to which she worked every hour of every day. For this she was treated like royalty and pampered with her every whim or need met as she voiced it. But always she must pray.

She grew distant from her friends, who lead double lives, in Cephiro and in Tokyo, until one day they asked that she not summon them anymore. Their lives had moved on without her or Cephiro, they grew up while she remained unchanged from the day that she accepted Emeraude's crown. She felt like her heart would break every time she thought of them, and somewhere in Cephiro a little pocket of darkness would grow. What shape it took would vary, sometimes a monster, or a storm, or a disease, always she would have to find it and pray for the darkness to leave.

Through it all Lantis stood beside her, a rock to rest upon. He took up his brother's mantle of High Priest and supported her prayers. He would always find the darkness, no matter how small or how well she hid it from herself. He knew her, heart and soul, more intimately than any lover. She depended on him for it, for his strength and his heart.

Hikaru sighed to herself and shifted slightly as she watched dark storm clouds fill the bright spring sky. Within moments it was dark as night and rain poured down around them. Lantis stood behind her watching the storm as well; he reached out a comforting hand to touch her shoulder. "You are going to scare the villagers again."

"I don't care." She said, her words nearly drowned out by the crack of thunder. "I want a thunderstorm."

"Was not the day beautiful enough for you?"

"No." She said. "You know something? I loved storms as a child, I used to go out and run through the rain, I loved to watch the lightning." Almost to emphasize her point blue lightning streaked across the sky in an intricate pattern. She had told him this probably a hundred times, always he knew she was lying but he never mentioned it. She stood and brushed off her knees, shivering slightly in the storm cooled air.

"Hikaru." Lantis said softly, his voice thick with some emotion she found difficult to place. She turned to face him. "Is that the only reason you wanted the storm, Hikaru. Childhood memories?"

_Well, he almost never mentioned it_, she amended to herself. She was silent for a moment before turning away and admitting. "Other memories."

She watched the storm, flinching sometimes at the deafening crash of thunder. But she rather that then to hear the words she was dreading. "What other memories?"

"My friends, we were all together while it stormed in Cephiro." _And with you._ She barely kept the last few words between her teeth, though she could not doubt their truth. "Things were so much simpler then." _I could love you then. _

"Hikaru." He rested his hands on her slender shoulders and she could feel his warmth at her back, strong and comforting. They stood there a long time before he spoke again. "Do you love me, Hikaru?"

She closed her eyes to hide the pain. She turned and smiled up at him, hoping against hope that this time the smile reached her eyes. "Of course I love you, Lantis. I love everyone."

His grip on her shoulders tightened and he frowned at her "That's not what I asked and you know it."

"That's the only answer I can ever give you." She watched him, watched the pain fill his eyes, watched it without flinching or looking away. That was her punishment for herself. She must watch his pain, feel it as her own and know that she could stop it. She could stop his pain with just three stupid little words. But she didn't. And she wouldn't because Cephiro needed her heart to be strong. Cephiro needed her more then he did. And she tried not to think about how much she needed him. After an agonizing eternity he stepped back and bowed stiffly. An emotionless mask dropped over his face that didn't quite hide the pain. "Forgive me, Princess, for my familiarity."

He turned and walked away with the fluid grace of a trained warrior. She wanted to call out to him, but couldn't move. She could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks but made no move to brush them away. Instead she knelt back down on the cushions to pray. The storm raged out of her control and there was a new shadow in her heart.


	2. Love Breaks the Heart

Chains of Destiny

Ch 2: Love Breaks the Heart

By Oniko

Hikaru closed her eyes and relaxed as the maid brushed her long ruby locks. The gentle pull was relaxing and she found herself dozing off in the chair. She was only half-aware of the door to her room opening and the sound of voices but she was so tired she found it difficult to focus on anything. Maybe taking that draught that Clef made for her wasn't such a good idea.

She finally found the strength to move and looked up to stare into Lantis' dark eyes. He was standing over her chair and looking down at her. "Lantis?"

"I need to speak with you, Hikaru." He said while her tired and drugged mind was still trying to cope with the fact that Lantis was in her room.

"Can this wait until tomorrow? I'm kinda tired right now." She got shakily to her feet. He caught her easily when she stumbled.

"No. It can't." He spoke softly staring into her eyes bare inches apart. She found herself blushing as his closeness.

"I…what could…" she stammered briefly before falling silent under his intense gaze. She could feel the breath squeezed out of her lungs as she realized what he wanted to talk about. She pushed against him to stand on her own. "We have nothing to talk about."

"Hikaru…" he pleaded, she turned away from him with tears in her eyes _why does he have to push this?_ She cried out is surprise when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back against him. But his mouth pressed over hers, smothering her cry. Against her better judgment she found herself responding to his kiss and when he pulled away a small whimper escaped her throat. He murmured softly "Hikaru, I love you."

She felt a confusing twist of pain and joy and sorrow sear her heat "Lantis, please don't do this."

"I cannot deny the depth of the feeling in my heart or the truth of it I know is in yours." He spoke softly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Why should we deny it from each other?"

"Because it destroyed Emeraude and Zagato. Do you think it will do any less to us?" She rested her head against Lantis' shoulder. With the confusing mixture of heady emotions and Clef's sleeping draught she was feeling rather dizzy.

"Hikaru. I am not my brother. I don't give a damn about my responsibilities. I only agreed to become High Priest to be with you. Hikaru, look at me." He lifted her chin gently to force her eyes to meet his. "I am not going to repeat my brother's life. And I am not going to let you make me. I love you, Hikaru. And believe me that is more than Zagato ever said to Emeraude."

As Pillar Hikaru had grown accustomed to reading her heart and never before had she known such joy and such light. She closed her eyes and tried to focus, she had to remain calm and in control. But it was so hard when the man she loved above all else stood so close and professed his love for her. He held her in a strong, warm embrace and she wanted to stay in his arms forever. Or at least for one night. Couldn't she be weak for just one night in her life? She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed "Lantis, I love you."

... ... ...

Hikaru awake to warmth and smiled. Lantis had his arms wrapped around her holding her in a tight embrace, even in his sleep. She could feel his breath tickling the back of her neck where he buried his face in her hair. She barely stifled the urge to giggle, she was so happy. Everything was perfect.

She cuddled with him for a few moments longer before starting to untangle herself from him. Much to her relief she managed to do so without waking him up. She know he spent most of the night awake watching her because every time she awoke from one of her frequent nightmares he was there, comforting her. Without summoning her maids she sat at her vanity and began working through the knotted mess her hair had become over the night. Her fingers hadn't forgotten the patterns as she braided her hair into its simple plait. It had been a long time since she had done this herself. She smiled brightly at her reflection today was a good day, she could feel it. She would will it. Dressed simply in a soft pink gown of flowing silk she made her way to her throne room.

It was a huge room filled with marble pillars and bright banners. At the far end of the room was a massive throne of white marble. It was carved in intricate patterns that reminded her of flames and it was covered in cushions of red and gold. She relaxed into the soft cushions, clasped her hands over her heart and began to pray.

At first it was difficult. Her mind kept wandering back to Lantis. Her training in meditation at her family's dojo was invaluable at moments like this and after a brief exercise her mind was calm and she could listen to her heart. Her heart was filled with light just as bright as last night. She began her daily routine of meditation and prayer and if her thoughts strayed towards Lantis a little more often than usual, no one was the wiser.

"There you are." She opened her eyes to see Lantis standing before her, judging by the light filtering through the stained glass windows it was almost noon. She smiled brightly at him.

"And where else would I be?"

"I don't know but when I woke up alone this morning I was worried."

"Worried? About what?"

"That it was a dream. That I had made a mistake." He stepped up to the throne and pulled her into a tight embrace. "That you didn't really love me."

"Of course I love you, Lantis." She said, her voice slightly muffled as she buried her face into his shoulder. "I've always loved you."

His arms tightened around her. "Please, don't leave me."

"Never." She promised.

Her days settled into a wonderful routine after that. She still spent her days in meditation and prayer but the intense pressure she usually felt was gone. She found very little darkness in her heart to pray for. And with Lantis by her side day and night she almost forgot her fears.

_Why didn't I give in sooner? _Hikaru asked herself as she contemplated her perfect life. It was early in the morning and she was going to the throne room to begin her prayers when she heard agitated voices echoing down the hall. Curious, she followed the sound to one of the lesser halls. Upon opening the door Hikaru was overwhelmed by the stench. She identified it almost immediately. One doesn't easily forget the stench of blood and death.

Inside she saw a row of bodies, some of them must have still been alive because she could hear them moaning in pain, but she couldn't see how, they were all so badly mangled. Clef, Lafarga and some villagers were talking, some very heatedly. It was their voices she heard.

Hikaru held onto the door to support her suddenly weak and trembling legs. She could only stare in shock at the bodies as her mind finally understood what the others were discussing, monsters. They where too involved in their conversation to notice her presence, and she over heard more than she wanted to. Monsters once again roamed across Cephiro in numbers. Monsters weren't exactly rare, even with a strong Pillar but suddenly several weeks ago they became stronger and their numbers grew beyond counting. They grew strong enough to attack a well-armed town. She shook her head not understanding how it was possible, her prayers should have protected these people from the monsters their fears created.

It was then that one of the men noticed her presence. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head in a very European genuflection. "Princess."

Clef spun around and made an odd halted movement to the side, as if he tried to block the bodies from her sight but realized that it was too late. She stared into ancient, sorrowful eyes that looked out from a child's face. He was worried, and sad. She turned, and ran before anyone could voice the question that was ringing in her head. Why? Why had she let this happen?

She threw herself down on the cushions in her throne room and tried to calm herself, tried to read the raging chaos that was her heart. Now there was sorrow and anguish staining the light that filled her heart. But why now, when she should have felt the darkness as it formed. The people's fears created the monsters and ills that plagued Cephiro, and her hear was a reflection of Cephiro. But now the only darkness she felt was her own grief at another's pain. Hikaru's eyes flew open. That was it. That was the key. She could only read her own emotions. Her heart was no longer Cephiro's.

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. When she gave in to her love for Lantis she lost her connection to Cephiro. Some how, she had to re-align her heart to Cephiro's. She was still the Pillar and would be until death, but she feared what she would have to do.

"Hikaru?" She jumped at Clef's soft voice. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." She wiped tears from her eyes. "Just in shock."

"I'm sorry you had to see that. And I'm sorry we didn't tell you earlier." Clef said, standing before her "We didn't want to worry you. Lafarga and I thought it best to find the cause before disturbing you."

Hikaru felt her eyes tear up. _He doesn't know, _she thought miserably _He doesn't know that it's all my fault. _Hikaru felt him lay a comforting hand on her shoulder and heard his soothing words without really listening. She was too focused on her own inner agony and his gentle comfort only made her feel worse. No matter the cost she was the Pillar and would do her duty. She would be stronger then Emeraude, though it breaks her heart. Hikaru leaned against Clef and cried in pain at what she would do to Lantis, and to herself, in order to restore Cephiro.

... ... ...

She began to implement her half-formed plan after recovering from her breakdown on Cleft's shoulder. First step is always the hardest, avoiding Lantis at all costs. He had already made it clear that he didn't care about Cephiro and he wouldn't understand why she must restore Cephiro's heart. She needed to minimize contact with him because every time she saw him her heart was filled with joy and love, _her_ joy and love not Cephiro's, and she needed to cleanse her emotions from her heart so she could focus on Cephiro.

She told her guards that she wasn't feeling well and didn't wish to be disturbed by anyone. The moment she shut the door her spacious suite felt small and stifling. Hikaru paced anxiously. How would Lantis react to her shutting him out? He was normally a quiet and gentle man but under that gentleness was an iron will that had shattered weaker opponents. She heard muffled voices, and ran to press her ear to the door to catch the conversation.

"…Princess does not wish to be disturbed." One of the guards was saying.

"If she is ill, perhaps I may help." Lantis said sounding oh-so-reasonable. Hikaru felt a stabbing pain in her chest.

"I'm sorry my lord but those are the Princess' orders." The guard replied, sounding very unhappy about the situation. There was a long silence, an eternity, before Lantis' curt reply. "Very well."

Hikaru sighed in relief, he wasn't going to make a scene and demand entrance to her room. He was going to respect her desire for privacy. She clasped her hands to her chest as the pain in her heart took her breath away. She had to do this. It was the only way to restore Cephiro's peace.

She barely slept at all that night. Instead she lay awake staring at the ceiling and crying silent tears. Early the next morning, or more accurately a few hours later she made her way to her throne room and gave the guards the same orders, that she was not to be disturbed by anyone. Again Lantis was turned away at the door. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks and she wondered how long she could keep avoiding him. She could just hope it was long enough for her heart to stop breaking at the thought of him.

It wasn't. It was barely three days before he caught up with her. It was early, hours yet until dawn and she was barely five feet from the sanctuary of her prayer room when his voice rang out behind her. "Hikaru!"

She froze, even her heart stopped a moment before she was overwhelmed with the pain of heartbreak.

"Hikaru, we need to talk." His voice was strong and commanding. She wanted nothing more than to turn and run to his arms and apologize. She took a deep breath and forced her frozen body to move forward. She could hear his footsteps echoing behind her, hurried but not running. When she reached the door she turned to one of her guards and gave what had become a standard order.

"I do not wish to be disturbed." She glanced back when Lantis called her name again. He was standing where she was moments ago, an eternity ago, when he called for her. As she looked strait at him she added "by anyone." And let the door slide shut.

She pressed her forehead against the door and tried, unsuccessfully, to forget the look of pain and confusion in his eyes. She could hear muffled voices arguing on the other side. She tried to block out the sounds. The sounds of him shouting, of violence, flesh striking flesh, of the pounding on the door and worst of all the pain and anger in his voice as he called for her to open the door. He would have broken the door down if he could, but in Cephiro will determined all and her will was greater than his.

When all was silent once again she turned away from the door, tears in her eyes. Her wavering vision fell on a small ceramic statuette of Mokona. The palace was so full of the cute little things that she had long ago ceased to notice them. She glared at it as if the little figurine was responsible for what was happening to her.

"Well, Mokona, are you happy?" She asked, her voice thick with raw emotions. "I tried to make this world a better place and now look at me, I failed everyone who ever depended on me."

In a sudden fit of rage she smashed the figurine and collapsed into tears "Damn you, Mokona. Why did you make me the Pillar?

She cried out, sobbing her hurt and pain into her hands, sounding more like a wounded animal than a girl. She wasn't sure how long she cried, and somehow even worse she wasn't sure when Clef entered and picked her up from the ground. After her tears gave her a momentary reprieve she looked up blearily into Clef's clear blue eyes. "Hikaru, what is wrong?"

She rested her head against his shoulder "Is this why Emeraude was crying all the time?"

"What?" Clef asked, brushing her hair back from her face. She pressed her hands over her heart.

"It hurts so much."

Clef frowned at her, he glanced at the broken pottery fragments. "Where are you hurt, Hikaru?"

"Oh, Clef. It's all my fault." She felt tears pricking at the corner of her eyes, again.

"What is your fault?" He asked in a gentle tone but frustration was still obvious in his voice.

"Everything…the monsters…Lantis…"she trailed off as the pain in her heart stole the breath from her lungs. Clef grabbed her shoulders and appeared bare moments away from shaking some sense into her. "What about Lantis?"

She looked up into his worried eyes. "Lantis? I love him. Help me, Clef. I love him."

... ... ...

AN: I must say this chapter was very hard to write and twice as hard to type. But I think it turned out well overall, please write a review and tell me your thoughts.


	3. Broken Walls and Dying Dreams

Chains of Destiny

Ch 2: Broken Walls and Dying Dreams

By Oniko

Lantis was seriously considering breaking Clef's jaw. At the very least it would make him feel better. On the other hand, Clef's good graces appeared to be the onlypath through which to see Hikaru.

The two men stared at each other before the doors to Hikaru's throne room. Lantis had just returned after a long absence. He spent the past four months crossing from one end of Cephiro to the other gathering information on the darkness manifesting at Hikaru's command. He wasn't even sure the order came from Hikaru at all, since she refused to see him, it came through Clef. And now the mage was saying that he still could not see her. That he was to give his report to Clef instead of Hikaru.

"Those are her wishes." Clef clarified.

Lantis frowned at him. He could not figure out why Clef was keeping him from seeing Hikaru.

"No." Lantis said and the statement was as unmoving as stone. "I will speak to her, and to her alone on this matter."

Clef frowned, obviously not happy with the position that Lantis was forcing him into. He bowed his head and stepped back to the door. "I will speak with her. Wait here."

Lantis sighed as Clef retreated. He wished someone would talk to him. Hikaru was avoiding him and Clef was treating him like he had somehow done something wrong. The mage was obviously trying to hide his disapproval but Lantis knew his teacher well enough to read the signs, and so did a number of others. Servants, guardsmen, and other people of the court were walking on eggshells around him, and whatever it was it had to do with Hikaru's so-called "illness."

He hadn't realized he'd been pacing and when the throne room door opened he found himself further from them then he really wanted to be. Clef stood there looking very unhappy. "She has agreed to an audience."

Lantis frowned at Clef not understanding what had upset the mage though he followed Clef into the room without voicing any of his questions. Hikaru sat on the throne with her hair flowing around her like liquid fire. The room was empty of anyone else and Clef's voice echoed between the marble pillars as he formally announced Lantis.

"Thank you, Clef." She said dismissing him. Her usually gentle voice was cold and her crimson eyes were distant. Lantis froze and allowed his formal mask to slip over his features. He didn't recognize this girl, it was like some stranger had replaced Hikaru. Clef bowed to the cold woman on the throne and left.

"Your report, Lord Lantis?" She prompted him. When unsure fall back on protocol, he couldn't remember who taught him that but it had served him well in court over the years as both Cail and High Priest. He bowed formally and began to give his report coolly and concisely.

The changes in Cephiro were drastic and deadly, many had already lost their lives to the manifestations of their own fears. The Forest of Silence was filled with monsters, more so then even the rest of Cephiro, and inexplicitly magic no longer worked there. A plague had decimated the population to the north of Cephiro, and a drought to the west was turning the fields into a desolate wasteland. The sea was no longer safe for fisherman or ships, no had seen anything but many who go out don't return on the evening tides. Periodically he would come across rumors of Ferio, seen in wilderness fighting monsters or helping a lost child home. But where ever he was Ferio didn't want to be found. Ascot, on the other hand, appeared to have left Cephiro entirely. Neither of the boys had been much the same since Umi and Fuu left to never return.

All the while he gave his report he watched the woman before him. Her eyes were the first to break the cold mask. As he talked about the plight of the people of Cephiro in a cool, formal tone her eyes slowly softened and anguish filled them. He felt a sense of relief, whatever had happened this was still Hikaru. Everything would be fine once they could talk he could get her to see that this wasn't her fault. She was the Pillar that upheld Cephiro but she could not be expected to protect the people from themselves.

Though he could see her pain he was still unsure of his welcome so he kept his voice and mannerisms carefully formal and neutral. Towards the end of his report tears started to gather in her eyes sliding down her still, silent face. He hesitated and fell silent. As he watched Hikaru's mask shattered and she collapsed into tears. Lantis ran the few steps to her side and gathered her into his arms. It took him a moment to decipher the words she was mumbling over and over again into his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

... ... ...

It was the middle of the night and Lantis was fast asleep when Hikaru crawled out of bed. She looked down at the sleeping man. Four months had not been nearly long enough. After weeks of work, meditation and prayer, her heart was finally re-aligned with Cephiro. She was shocked to see how prevalent the darkness had grown in so short a time. She was just beginning to get everything under control again when Lantis came home and ruined everything.

She only heard bits and pieces of his report mostly she just watched him. The hurt and confusion in his eyes were clear obvious to her even if anyone else would just see his cold mask. Seeing him again, it was as if the past four months had never occurred and her heart broke at the pain in his voice. He thought she was crying for the people of Cephiro. She wasn't. She was crying for him, and her. For there was only one option left open to her if she could no longer fulfill her duties as the Pillar.

She didn't bother with her hair, she couldn't afford the time. The sleeping draught she slipped to Lantis would only last for so long. She slipped on a simple shift and silently crept out of the room. The guard at her door snapped to attention.

"Tell Clef and Presea to meet with me in the throne room in three hours." She ordered without really looking to see if the guard heard her. Her mind was preoccupied with the task she faced.

The ceremony was long and arduous, both physically and mentally exhausting. Cephiro's creator didn't want Pillars doing this on a whim. She wasn't sure if the spell was completed successfully or if the ones it would summon would be strong enough for the task ahead, but in the end she sat on her throne awaiting Clef and Presea with Mokona in her arms.

They came, yawning and rubbing their eyes, but they came at the time she specified. Clef took one look at her holding Mokona and snapped fully awake "Hikaru! What have you done?"

"What's going on?" Presea asked, alarmed and confused by the tone in Clef's voice.

"I have summoned the Magic Knights." Hikaru said. She marveled at how calm she sounded, stating her own death. "I know this is hard. Knowing the truth that you do, but please I need you to do your duties. I need to be able to depend on at least the two of you, if no one else."

"Is there no other way?" Clef asked.

"No. None." She said firmly.

He closed his eyes and leaned heavily on his staff of office for support. "Then I will do what I must though it pains me."

"Thank you." Hikaru said, she turned and looked to Presea who stepped back at the intensity in her gaze.

"Hikaru…I don't know if I can forge escudo…again." Presea stammered.

"You are the Master Smith of Cephiro you are the only one who can forge weapons from escudo." Hikaru said, and in her voice was the true power of the Pillar. By strength of her will alone that statement became fact. Her voice softened no longer the Pillar speaking, just Hikaru. "But will you? Will you do this for me and save Cephiro?"

Presea bowed her head, meeting Hikaru's intense gaze hurt. She didn't want to do it, but she knew her duty. "I will."

"Good. Give Mokona to the girls when they get here. I suggest that both of you leave the palace quickly, now, under cover of darkness." Hikaru said. "Don't speak to anyone of this."

"Hikaru you can't hide this." Clef said. "The summoning with resonate through all of Cephiro."

"I know." Hikaru smiled sadly "That is why I want the two of you far away from here when he realizes what I have done."

Neither Clef nor Presea needed to ask who she was referring to. Presea took Mokona from Hikaru and clutched the soft creature to her chest. "Oh, Hikaru, I'm so sorry."

Hikaru smiled at her "I know, Presea, just be strong for me okay?"

Hikaru was at dinner when the magical shockwave hit. The Magic Knights had arrived and anyone with a drop of power knew it. Clef and Presea had been gone for several days. Few people commented on their sudden absences as it was in both of their natures to take periodic retreats. With luck both would be so far in hiding he wouldn't find them until after their tasks had been completed. Almost as if her thought had summoned him, the doors to her room flew open and Lantis stormed in. And he was livid.

"What have you done?" he demanded.

"What must be done." She said calmly picking up her desert. Redberry cake, her favorite. "For the good of Cephiro."

"Damn Cephiro, Hikaru you can't do this." He slammed his fists into the table.

"It's already done." She took a bite of the cake. The berries were a bit young still but she'd wanted to enjoy some of her favorite things one last time before she faced the Magic Knights.

"Why? Will you at least tell me that?"

"Would you understand? Would you even try?"

He looked at her with pain in his eyes. "Hikaru, why can't you trust me?"

She slammed her fork down, angry. Angry was better then crying which is what she felt like doing. "People are dying and it's my fault. Don't start. It _is_ my fault, I lost my heart to you and Cephiro paid the price. I can't see the darkness anymore, I can't tell if my prayers are doing any good. If I can no longer be the Pillar that Cephiro needs, someone must be. Someone with a strong heart. So I have to…step down."

" 'Step down?' Hikaru, they will kill you. Have you even thought of what that means? Did you even think of what that would do to the rest of us, to the people who love you?" His tone softened and he said gently "Hikaru I love you and I couldn't bear to lose you."

"I did think about it, long and hard." She said, her voice still hard and cold. "Why don't you think about the people of Cephiro, everyone who dies out there has a family and friends, people who love them. And those people shouldn't have to fear the monsters, they shouldn't have to fear death. It is my job to protect them and I can't do it anymore."

"Forget about them, for once in your life be selfish and forget about them. Live. Live with me, we could be happy together. We were happy together."

"Don't you understand that I can't. That is why I was chosen to be the Pillar in the first place because I cared about others more than myself, more than my own happiness." She looked up at him with tear sliding down her cheeks and her voice was thick with emotion. "And the one moment of personal happiness I had with you ruined everything. People died because of me. I cannot allow it to continue."

Lantis suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her up from the chair, dragging her out the door as she shouted objections. She begged, she shrieked and pleaded. She fought him as he dragged her through the halls but her heart wasn't in it and Lantis ignored her weak blows.

"What are you doing?" She shrieked.

"I will not stand by and do nothing while they kill you. I will protect you with the last breath in my body if need be. Your will or no."

"Lantis, please don't do this." She was vaguely aware of passing halls and people until Lantis came to an abrupt halt at the juncture of two main hallways. She peeked around him to see Lafarga, the Captain of the Guard and a small array of guardsmen fanned out behind him.

"Lantis. What is the meaning of this." Lafarga demanded.

"Do you know what she had done?" Lantis asked in return. "Am I the only one left in the dark… no I can see you know nothing."

"Lafarga, help me." Hikaru demanded trying to twist her wrist from Lantis' grip.

"Lantis, release the Princess and explain yourself." Lafarga ordered coldly.

"She summoned the Magic Knights." Lantis declared without letting go of Hikaru. Lafarga froze and stared at the two of them. The moment stretched on until Hikaru commanded. "Lafarga do your duty and help me!"

"I know my duty, Princess." Lafarga said. Hikaru could feel Lantis tense for a fight. "Men, stand down. Let them pass, out duty is to protect the Princess, as is the High Priest's" he said the last almost apologetically as he fell into step behind Lantis "Where are you taking her?"

"As far away from Cephiro as she can safely get. She is still the Pillar and I don't want her powers aiding the Magic Knights. Lafarga find me Ferio and Clef, we may need them."

"And Presea?"

"If you can." Hikaru stumbled and nearly fell in shock listening to Lantis' words. Of course, she was still the Pillar and had more powers available to her then just cleansing the land. She ceased struggling and let Lantis drag her along as she prepared to truly fight. Because she knew as well as he did that if he followed through with this the Magic Knights would be forced to kill him to get to her. She didn't want that to happen. She didn't want any more people to die because of her. Especially not someone she loved.

By the time Lantis pulled her out into an open courtyard she was prepared. There was very little warning when the earthquake hit, and it was a bad one. The land rippled and flowed like water. Lantis lost his grip on her as they were thrown to the ground. Hikaru stood and staggered to the nebulous safety of a nearby doorway. She had almost made it when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She shrieked and kicked out at empty air and the ground raged and shook in response to her emotions. Lantis dragged her up to sit before him on his summoned spirit animal, his night black horse. The horse rose up into the sky away from the shaking earth. "Hikaru, stop it."

She rested her head on his shoulder and watched the shattered palace falling away below them. "I can't"

... ... ...

Lantis watched the Magic Knights fly away on a griffin Clef summoned. The three girls looked so very young. It was hard to believe that Hikaru and her friends had been about the same age when they were summoned to Cephiro. "You didn't tell them did you?"

Clef didn't react, he had been fully aware of Lantis' presence from the beginning, not that Lantis had been trying to hide. "No. Do you think they would be able to do it if they knew the truth?"

"No. They probably wouldn't." Lantis said walking up to stand next to Clef. Who turned to look at him and Lantis fell back a step in shock. "What happened to you?"

Clef no longer looked like a young boy. Instead an elderly man stood there wearing the Master Mage's clothing and leaning heavily on his staff of office. "I'm old Lantis. Over a thousand years old. I have seen this land destroy everything I have ever loved. I'm old and I'm tired. And I think…I think I've lost the heart to go on."

"Clef…" Lantis started to speak but could find no words.

"Just, please, take me to see her." Clef said. "I would like to see Hikaru one last time."

"As you wish."

... ... ...

AN: It never ceases to amaze me how much and how little can be written in 15 minute blocks (ie over breaks and lunch). Anyways this chapter was easier then the last but also hard in that I'm trying to make this story work for both the manga and anime versions. Well, please tell me what you think, I thrive on reviews.


	4. The Last Magic Knight

Chains of Destiny

Ch. 3: The Last Magic Knight

By Oniko

Hikaku rested on a bed of silk and velvet. She had very little strength so far from Cephiro. She had never before realized how much of her power came from the land. Now simple prayers took all of her energy and left her exhausted. First she had created this floating palace to house them. That was not a simple spell and it drained all of her reserve and put her in bed for several days. Since then she had been concealing the Magic Knights from scrying spells. That was what was keeping her in bed. Lantis must have suspected something but he never confronted her about it. He was too focused on "protecting" her from the Magic Knights.

It was ironic, really, that she had summoned the Knights so than no other innocents would die due to her failure as Pillar and now because of them she had lost nearly everyone. Ferio was the first friend she lost. Like so many others he had known when the Magic Knights were summoned and like too many of her friends he had decided to stop them. He met them at the Sacred Fountain of Eterna, the one that she and her friends had lead him to the first time she came to Cephiro. He had never forgotten its location, though she wished he had, and he died there. Lantis' scrying allowed them to see the last moments of Ferio's life but they were too far away to help him. He was a strike away from killing the Knight of Fire when the Knight of Air used her magic, her Winds of Admonishment to hold him, and her winds pulled the breath from his lungs. Hikaru could only watch in horror as he died. She didn't know Fuu's magic could kill like that.

It was after that incident that she started blocking the Knights from scrying spells. She thought that maybe if her friends couldn't find the Knights they would give up on trying to kill them, and she wouldn't lose anyone else. But it didn't turn out that way. Instead Lantis and the others planned ambushes at places they knew the magic knights had to go, specifically the mashin's temples. She tried to tell Lantis that he would only be aiding the Magic Knights, that the mashin would use them to test the Knights like they had tested Hikaru and her friends when Emeraude was the Pillar, but he didn't listen.

That was how they had lost Caldina. She faced the magic knights twice, once in the Sea Cave and once in the Floating Mountain. The first time she came back in tears, overcome by the painful memories of when she fought the Magic Knights before under Lord Zagato's command. The second time, she didn't come back at all. Of all of them only Clef was blessed with a peaceful death. He went to sleep one evening and simply didn't wake up. Presea had followed soon after but not before burning her library and destroying every last scrap of knowledge on the forging of Escudo.

Hikaru could hear Lantis softly calling her. She was awake, or at least as awake as she ever got lately. Now he wanted her to move, waste what little energy she had. She turned her head towards him and opened her eyes. Hopefully he didn't want anything more taxing from her.

"Lafarga is dead." He said. His face cold and unreadable although she could feel his pain radiating off of him in waves. Lafarga had been one of his closest friends, despite, or perhaps because of, their rocky start. If Lafarga failed that meant the Magic Knights had the last mashin and were heading here. "Send them back Hikaru. Don't make them do this."

"I can't." She said. Even if she stood in the center of Cephiro, even cloaked in all of her power, she wouldn't be able to send the Knights home. Only her death could do that.

"Then I must do what I must."

"Don't!" she forced herself up. "Please, don't do this."

"I must protect you, Hikaru, at all costs."

"Even if it means your life?"

"Even then." He said. "Even if it means the lives of those three girls. Even if it means the destruction of all of Cephiro. I would see you safe. I am not like my brother, I will not stand by and I will not fail."

"Lantis, they are just children, you can't."

"You should have thought of that before you summoned them." Then he was gone.

"Oh, Lantis. You are more like Zagato than you know." Hikaru said softly. There was nothing she could do anymore but wait. She leaned back down on the cushions and released the concealing spell. She felt almost instantly better without the continuous drain on her energy. With her mind and heart freed from the burden she could sense things around her. She could sense Lantis creating a mashin with which he would face the Magic Knights. She could already envision its final form. Black as a starless sky with dark jewels the color of Lantis' eyes on its breastplate. The helm would be a stylized horse-head with a crest of black hair flowing behind it. It was darkly beautiful and crafted of pain and rage. A mashin with which to kill the Magic Knights.

She could sense them coming now. They were almost to the palace. She didn't want to know what was going to happen next. But she was afraid to look away. The fight was brutal with swords and magic. Lantis was out numbered but his strength of heart more then made up for it. If the girls didn't find their own strength soon they would lose. At that moment Lantis' sword found its target, the Water Knight's heart. Everything froze for one breathless moment Hikaru could feel the Magic Knight dying. Her power fluttered and faded. Celes was gone, back to that other place where the mashin sleep. The other two Magic Knights were shocked by the death of their comrade but they were not weakened. The Knight of Fire was the strongest and the other Knight supported and strengthened her, fanning the flames of her rage. The magic was building, growing with the pain and rage into a single powerful blast that was aimed at Lantis.

"No!" Hikaru screamed, although no one could hear her. She focused her will and her power into a shield bolstered by her love and fear and threw it over Lantis seconds before the Magic Knights' combined power hit him. The blast slammed up against her shield with a terrible force and it shattered her hastily constructed barrier. The backlash of the broken spell combined with exhaustion slapped Hikaru down into the depths of unconsciousness.

When she awoke Hikaru was still lying in her bed. She was confused briefly before she remembered the fight between Lantis and the Magic Knights. She sat up, jerked awake by worry. Did she put the shield up in time? Was it enough? She calmed herself and extended her awareness outwards. She could sense the two remaining Magic Knights. One of them, the Knight of Air, was very weak and possibly dying. She could also sense Eagle Vision of Autozam, the last of her protectors.

_:Eagle:_ she asked telepathically. It was a minor miracle that Eagle had survived the battles when Hikaru was made Pillar. Although he had survived and healed Eagle's sickness got the better of him and him body was locked in a coma-like sleep. He could communicate with a few people telepathically, herself and Lantis primarily. Zazu, a young mechanic from Autozam and also Eagle's friend had rigged some programs that Eagle was able to run using a minimum of mental energy and incorporating more of Cephiro's magic. It was the first efforts made to blend Cephiro's magic and Autozam's technology. The programs were created to allow Eagle more freedom and the ability to communicate with others. Hikaru could sense that someone, probably Lantis, had jerry-rigged a bank of guns into the system. _:Eagle, what's going on:_

_:Don't worry Hikaru. I'll keep you safe.:_ he replied. He was hiding something from her. His heart was strong, he had almost become the Pillar himself and his heart was almost as strong as hers, almost but not quite. Telepathy opened the mind, made it harder to hide things from others. She plucked the thoughts from his mind easily. The Magic Knights had entered his room looking for the Princess so his first barrage took them by surprise. They were not expecting another enemy. The Fire Knight had escaped mostly unscathed but the Knight of Air was gravely injured. If she didn't heal herself soon she would die, but her magic was tied up in the shield protecting them if she dropped it to heal both girls would die. They huddled together under the shield spell while bullets ricocheted around them. The one girl, the Knight of Fire, stood up suddenly and walked towards Eagle leaving her friend behind. Somehow she had figured out that Eagle was controlling the guns, which must seems strange to her a comatose body attacking them. In fact it was the only weakness to the system. Eagle had to be nearly on top of the guns in order to trigger them, because the system wasn't strong enough to maintain a long distance connection. The Knight of Air somehow extended her shield to cover both girls, but the drain on her heart was too great. It was a toss up as to which would kill her first exhaustion or blood loss. The Knight of Fire strode forward determinedly, she summoned the sword to her hands. Hikaru was startled by the similarities the girl bore to herself so long ago. Or was that Eagle's emotions clouding the vision? The girl raised the sword high overhead with the tip pointing downwards, poised to strike.

It was at that moment that the Knight of Air died. Her magic shield around them flickered and faded. The Knight of Fire paused and half-turned back to her friend. Eagle's guns trained on her, a single shot to the head and she wouldn't feel a thing, not like the other poor girl.

"Eagle, No!" Hikaru cried out. _:Please. No.:_

She could feel his attention turn to her. _:Is this what you really want:_ he asked and she could feel the weight of his question on her soul, knowing that it meant his death as well as hers.

"I..." She stammered she had thought she was doing the right thing but with Eagle's thoughts and emotions clouding hers she wasn't so sure any more. "I...don't know."

But it was too late. Eagle had waited too long and the Magic Knight plunged her sword down through his heart. For a moment, still connected by telepathy, Hikaru felt his pain and thought she might die with him. Eagle forcefully ripped his mind from hers and slammed down every last barrier he could before she had to suffer though his death as well. Hikaru opened her eyes to her room in the floating fortress. There was no one between her and the last Magic Knight, everyone was dead.

"Not Lantis." She prayed, let her shield have been in time, let him be okay. She stood up shakily, feeling weak, it had been a long time since she had to move on her own. She could see herself in her bedroom mirror. Grief and pain had aged her. If she were back in Tokyo she would have said she looked to be in her mid-twenties. Her hair had escaped the ribbon she tied it up in and flowed around her, shimmering like fire. Her eyes were red as blood and dark with pain. The only thing left was for her to face the Knight and then someone else could become the Pillar.

With a thought she appeared in the great room before the Magic Knight. The great room was replica of her own throne room in the palace on Cephiro only on a much greater scale. The flame carved throne was large enough to seat a mashin and the vast expanse of the hall looked like it could house a hundred mashin easily. There were no great mashin in the hall only Hikaru and the Magic Knight. The girl stepped towards her hesitantly.

"Princess Hikaru?" Hikaru nodded in acknowledgement. "Princess Hikaru, I am the Magic Knight that you summoned here to save Cephiro. I've worked hard to become a Knight and along the way have lost some of my dearest friends."

Hikaru was amazed at how young the girl was to be so strong. Surely, she had never been so naive, so innocent. "But together we have overcome many obstacles and defeated Lord Lantis for me to come here to rescue you."

Hikaru felt a sharp pain in her heart, of course Lantis had to have been defeated in order for this babbling twit to be standing in front of her. She just hadn't thought of all the implications until the girl spelled it out for her.

"My Lantis?" she asked her voice wavering, sounding weak, must try that again. "You defeated Lantis?"

The girl nodded her eyes sparkling brightly. She was proud of herself. "It was a hard battle and one of my friends died. I was able to combine...Princess Hikaru are you alright?" the girl rushed forward as Hikaru felt her legs collapse out from under her. She pushed the girl away from her roughly.

"You killed him!" If she thought the pain she had suffered over the past few months was bad, it was nothing compared to the aching emptiness that filled her heart now. Hikaru found it difficult to think for the pain in her heart. The Magic Knights were just supposed to kill her. Not her friends, and not Lantis. They, _he_, should have been safe. They should be here to teach the new Pillar like they had taught her, but now they were gone. He was gone. Because of this girl. This Magic Knight.

Before she knew what she was doing she was seated on the throne encased in a great mashin, wrought of her pain. The mashin was like Rayearth in many respects but the spirit was young and dependent on her will and power. She looked down at the girl who was stepping back away from the throne in confusion.

"How dare you!" Hikaru stood up, her mashin towering over the young girl. "I summoned you here to save Cephiro from destruction. Not to destroy everything that I hold dear."

Hikaru's sword was in her hands and she brought it down, slamming it deep into the stone floor where the Magic Knight stood moments before. Now Rayearth stood before her wreathed in flames. Hikaru lifted her blade and attacked the girl with lightning fast strikes. Pain and rage fueled her but she was still nowhere near full strength. Rayearth scrambled backwards, dodging and blocking what blows he could. But the Magic Knight he was bonded too was shaken and confused, her heart was not strong enough.

"You were supposed to kill just me!" Hikaru cried. Tears were streaming down her face. Lantis, her Lantis was gone. "Please."

The Magic Knight got her feet under her and charged. It was a clumsy attack at best and if Hikaru wasn't so exhausted and emotionally taxed she would have been able to block the girl easily. The two swords scraped against each other in a shower of sparks and Hikaru's was turned away. The girl completed the lunge and her blade slid easily into the mashin's lower abdomen. Hikaru screamed in pain as she felt a phantom sword cut into her and blood poured down her side.

Both mashins were gone and the two girls stood clutching each other with their swords between them. The swords vanished as Hikaru collapsed to the ground, dragging the girl down with her. The Magic Knight cradled Hikaru in her lap crying and sobbing apologies.

"Oh God, oh God. I'm so sorry." The girl sobbed. Then she stated screaming "Help! Somebody, help! We need a doctor…a healer…something. Help…somebody."

"It's okay." Hikaru said gently. She reached up to cup the girl's face in her hand. "It's okay. You did the right thing. You saved Cephiro."

"No." She said "Princess Hikaru, you will be okay. Somebody please…"she stopped abruptly and stared off somewhere Hikaru couldn't see. "No. I thought you were dead."

"No." A deep and achingly familiar voice answered. Hikaru felt her heart quiver and Lantis stepped into her view. He knelt down beside her and cradled the other side of Hikaru's body. "Princess Hikaru created a shield at great expense to herself to protect me from the attack. While the shield took the brunt of the blast I was still knocked unconscious. I came here as quickly as I could."

"Can you heal her." The Magic Knight asked.

"No." He answered looking at Hikaru with pain in his eyes. Pain that the Magic Knight was just beginning to realize had been there all along. "No magic on Cephiro could heal the Pillar once she had been wounded by the Magic Knights, death is the only release from her pain."

"I don't understand. Why?"

"The position of Pillar is for life, and the Pillar is immortal and cannot be harmed by any creature of Cephiro, not even herself. So when the burden becomes too much to bear the Pillar must summon the Magic Knights from another world to release her." He gave the girl a long and measuring look and in his eyes was a look of pain and something else that the girl was hard pressed to define. He sighed and cupped the girl's face in his hand, much like Hikaru had moments before. "You are so like her in many ways. I'm sorry you were summoned here to bring this tragedy to an end. But when you return take strength in the knowledge that you will be the last drawn into this sad story."

"I don't understand, why?" She asked again reaching out to grab his hand she noticed that her own was rather transparent. "What's going on?"

"Hikaru is dying. When she is gone you will be home." He replied. "As for your first question. This will never happen again because I will destroy the pillar system that created this tragedy even if it means destroying Cephiro itself."

That was the last of that other world that the Magic Knight saw. She found herself back in her own home world, standing alone in a crowd of people. It was only then that she could put words to the look in Lord Lantis' eyes at the very end. It was the look of someone who had loved and suffered unimaginable pain for it. It was the look of someone whose heart was stronger then everyone else's.

... ... ...

AN: Okay that's the last chapter. I was thinking 'tragedy' would be a much more appropriate genre then 'angst' turned out to be but that wasn't available. Anyways, please tell me what you think. I love reviews! And now I am going to go run and hide from the people who want to hurt me for this ending.


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